Turkish army tank takes position near Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeasternTurkish town of Suruc in Sanliurfa provincee (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach) / Reuters

The Syrian government has said a Turkish incursion into the north of the country was an act of “flagrant aggression.” Damascus said it would hold Ankara responsible after they went into Syria to evacuate personnel and relics from a holy tomb.

Syria said the Turkish government had informed the Syrian
consulate in Istanbul about its plans regarding the tomb of
Suleyman Shah in northern Syria. Shah was the grandfather of the
founder of the Ottoman Empire.

However, Turkey didn’t wait for permission from Damascus and
mounted a rescue operation to the tomb, to salvage its relics and
evacuate 40 Turkish soldiers who had been guarding it.

Damascus says the maneuver was in violation of an agreement
signed in 1921. Syria also stated that Anakara would be
responsible for any repercussions that could take place as a
result of the incursion.

The military operation launched to rescue the holy place was
coordinated with the Kurds. The only casualty was a Turkish
soldier.

The task force of approximately 100 military vehicles, including
39 tanks, crossed the Syrian border to a territory controlled by
Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG) fighters and passed
through the city of Kobani, recaptured by the YPG from the
Islamic State in January.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held a media briefing in
the capital, Ankara, reporting that 38 soldiers had been brought
back safely to Turkey.

Syria accuses Turkey of supporting insurgent groups that have
seized control of wide areas of northern and eastern Syria,
including the Islamic State militant group.

The Syrian government statement said the fact that the Islamic
State had not attacked the tomb "confirmed the depth of the
ties between the Turkish government and this terrorist
organization,” according to Reuters.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad accused Ankara of
violating Syrian sovereignty and warned that his country has the
right to defend itself.

“Damascus reserves the right to defend our land and properly
respond to this aggression at the right time,” he told
pan-Arabist satellite TV channel Al Mayadeen.